Modern communication networks include a vast array of device types. Such device types may include, for example, wired and wireless devices, and stationary and portable devices. Some networked devices may have relatively limitless electrical power supplies, for example, those drawing electrical power from wall outlets. Conversely, some networked devices may have limited power supplies, for example, those operating on internal batteries.
Networked devices operating with limited power supplies may adopt operating characteristics that are conducive to conserving their limited supplies of power. For example, some devices may have an operating mode, sometimes called a “sleep mode” or “power-save mode,” where the device shuts down or slows down many of its internal functions to conserve energy. Such functions may include, for example, network communication functionality. Such devices may, for example, periodically or on-command exit the power-save mode and re-establish communications with other networked devices.
For example, a remote network device in power-save mode may exit the power-save mode and establish communications with a communication network access point. Once such communications are established, the exemplary remote network device and network access point may exchange information. For example, the remote device may transmit information to the access point that is destined for another networked device, and the access point may transmit information to the remote device that the access point had buffered for the remote device while the remote device was in power-save mode and unable to communicate with the access point.
The process of communicating information between the exemplary remote device and network access point, and between devices in general, consumes energy. The process of merely monitoring the network while waiting for the arrival of a packet also consumes energy. Communication networks are generally governed by various communication procedures and protocols that control various communication functions. Such functions may include, for example, access to the communication medium and message queuing. Such medium access protocols, message queuing procedures, and other rules or procedures governing information transfer typically include aspects that are inefficient with regard to, for example, energy consumption, information transfer speed, and bandwidth utilization.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of such systems with the present invention as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings.